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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28896768">A Pyrrhic Victory</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/aviatordame/pseuds/aviatordame'>aviatordame</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:48:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,976</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28896768</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/aviatordame/pseuds/aviatordame</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>'I nearly fooled you for a second there, didn't I?'</i>
</p><p> </p><p>The war is over, and all Zelda can do is wait and wait.<br/>[Impa/Zelda; implied Link/Mipha<br/><i>Nearly</i> Major Character Death.]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Impa/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Pyrrhic Victory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>You <i>might</i> want to read <i>We Have Today</i> before reading this as there are a few references to that story. </p><p>I know, I know. Another Zelimpa oneshot. This ship is just too damn good.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All she can smell is ash; her eyes streaming from the burning luminosity expelled from her palms. Close to that of a halo, her body ignites, her radiance so calamitous, the beast lets out this horrible, ear-splitting scream. The sound is so terrible, she winces, yet every inch of her godly form merely intensifies. As she slowly seals the beast, she can feel his life draining away; her heart pauses, she suddenly can no longer breathe, and while Ganon dies, Zelda only grows stronger and stronger, until, with one final burst, she obliterates the monstrosity.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The war is over.</p><p>As Princess Zelda descends to the ground, torn and bloody, she can hear a familiar, friendly voice calling out for her. Mipha, exhausted and bruised, but still standing, reaches for her hylian parallel. Her expression concerned, amazed, almost petrified at what she just witnessed. Zelda need only smile, and Mipha squeezes her arm, a temporary moment in which both princesses celebrate, before turning their attention to their fallen comrades.</p><p>At least Link is still awake; he struggles to his feet, and Mipha hurries over to help him. His tunic is ripped through, and Link’s face now wears a hideous cut straight down from his temple to his chin. The knight manages to stand, although leans most of his weight on Mipha, still not quite able to stand properly. Yet, a warm, relieved chuckle escapes him.</p><p>
  <em>The war is over.</em>
</p><p>Impa, on the other hand, was knocked unconscious not too long ago. The beast Ganon had struck her centre on, causing the sheikah warrior to be flung across the room. Smacking her head into the wall, and having various bones destroyed had simply been too much. Unlike Link, Zelda and Mipha, Impa is arguably the weakest as she is neither blessed by a God nor royalty. Still, for her mortal and human state, it’s remarkable she held the fight for so long.</p><p>As Zelda reaches for her, panic beginning to sink in, Mipha advises:</p><p>‘Don’t touch her. You might cause further damage.’</p><p>The urgency to hold Impa is overwhelming, but, albeit reluctantly, Zelda doesn’t lay a finger on her. Mipha starts to nurse Impa as much as she can, yet the zora princess barely has any energy left within her either. She can, for the moment, tend to the concussion Impa is clearly suffering from. Unfortunately, the sheikah endures a fair amount of severe injuries, which will take a day or so for Mipha to nurse.</p><p>Zelda can’t look.</p><p>The young princess loses her balance slightly as she walks away, and even though she has saved her kingdom from destruction, a hollowness has begun to develop within her. They have all fought so <em>fucking</em> hard, and for it to end this way, for her to lose her best friend<em>—</em>Zelda trembles, mouth dry, a dull ache in her heart, and she starts to pray.</p><p>At one point, Link manages to recover a little. While Mipha busily attends to her comrade, he steps over to where Zelda stands, and she is a statue. One would imagine the princess would be overjoyed with her success, but none of it seems to matter; and, in all honestly, Link is not going to judge. He just never thought <em>it was like this</em>.</p><p>Glancing at Mipha he knows, for a fact, if it were <em>she</em> who was inches from death<em>—</em></p><p>The very thought crushes him, and, wisely, he immediately discards the idea. Link places his hand on Zelda’s shoulder, encouraging her to look at him. Without a word, she comes towards him, and they embrace. Zelda is tense all over, and barely returns the hug as Link tries his best to consolidate her. He knows there is little he can do, however.</p><p>
  <em>The war <strong>is</strong> over, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>     so why does it feel as if her life is over too?</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It’s a memory which nestles itself so lovingly in her heart. Simple words which soothe her more than any lullaby; to be understood, through and through. To finally fight alongside somebody who has protected Zelda her whole life, only for the very dream itself to be destroyed before her eyes. Witnessing Impa nearly dying for a <em>second</em> time is enough to drive Zelda enraged.</p><p>
  <em>Don’t cry, princess.</em>
</p><p>So, Zelda doesn’t, as much as she wants to.</p><p>Just when it all ended, she had thought<em>—</em>had hoped<em>—</em>Impa would be there with her.</p><p>As always.</p><p>Yet she was never destined to keep those who made her happy.</p><p>First her mother, then Terrako, and now Impa. It frustrates her, how she managed to save Link, and yet she was incapable of sparing anybody else. Because while she has saved Hyrule, it isn’t everybody. Many have died, many are <em>dying</em>; and those who matter most to her continue fighting for their lives.</p><p>She had asked<em>—</em>begged<em>—</em>Impa to survive.</p><p><em>I order you to stay alive</em>.</p><p>Perhaps Impa had stuck to her promise, though. Because she never once gave in, even with her legs breaking beneath her, and the amount of <em>blood</em>; Zelda never thought there could be so much blood in one person. But Impa <em>is</em> only <em>one</em> person, whom fought so valiantly to the point of collapse. And it was all for Zelda; she fought for <em>Zelda</em>, and the princess squeezes her eyes shut; she feels strangled, her throat is sore from withholding tears, and, more than anything, she is desperate to <em>wail</em>; to scream so hard, her lungs crack.</p><p>Then she had kissed her. Corpses of their enemy littered around them, the blood moon slowly descending, Zelda had kissed her; it was almost innocent, the adrenaline bursting through her like hot knives, and it was the only thing which made sense. To feel her lips against hers, it was like waking up. Zelda immediately felt revitalised, new life breathed into her, and she wanted to kiss her again. They had shared two minutes, lost in their own solace, before the war beckoned for them again. And the rest a flurry of light and blades, and when Zelda witnessed her dearest friend succumb to Ganon’s might, Zelda could <em>hear</em> her bones shatter. Even before she hit the ground, Impa was already gone.</p><p>Even the memory alone triggers the Triforce burning into the back of her hand.</p><p>Maybe she is dying now. She wants to see her, but Mipha forbids it. Obviously, Zelda is too emotionally involved in this case, and Mipha needs space and calm in order to concentrate.</p><p>So Zelda paces, sits, swears, tries her hardest to focus on anything else but death.</p><p><em>Please</em>, she prays, <em>let her be alive.</em></p><p>Eventually Zelda can hear the sound of footsteps. The young princess braces herself for the worst, and she isn’t entirely sure if she will be able to cope. All the oxygen in her lungs has disappeared, and she realises she is panicking. This terror that it was all too late. She was dead before Mipha even had a <em>chance</em>, and Zelda can already feel her eyes stinging, and through blurred vision she turns, facing her messenger, and everything comes to a halt.</p><p>‘Your Royal Highness, apologies for keeping you waiting.’</p><p>And, briefly, Zelda wonders, <em>am I dead too?</em></p><p>Impa looks awfully pale, her left eye slightly swollen, cheek bruised, and her usual smart attire lacking. It is almost a shock to see her without her haori jacket and obi. The damage done to her uniform is made evident, as the navy top beneath has been torn slightly.</p><p>For a long time, Zelda just <em>stands there</em>, and Impa can’t tell if she’s happy to see her or not.</p><p>Eventually Zelda finds her voice, and it’s hard; she’s trying so much not to pour with all the emotions she is currently battling with.</p><p>‘You have,’ she says, fists clenched. ‘You<em>—</em><em>you look ghastly</em>.’</p><p>Impa sighs. ‘Right? I guess that’s what happens when you’re<em>—</em>’</p><p>‘<em>Dying</em>.’</p><p>‘Well, <em>yeah</em>, that.’</p><p>The grief transitions into fury.</p><p>Her heartbreak is too much to handle, so Zelda copes with anger.</p><p>‘You <em>liar</em>!’</p><p>When she storms over, Impa is genuinely terrified, and the princess pushes her. Already worn out from everything, Zelda isn’t very strong, and, to be honest, Impa hardly feels it. But then Zelda pushes her again, harder this time, and finally bursts into tears.</p><p>She sobs loudly, livid at herself for breaking. Roughly, she wipes her eyes, but the tears just keep pouring. <em>Fuck</em>, how can she <em>not</em> cry? For the past twenty-four hours, Zelda has prepared herself. She has had it in her head that Impa will not survive, <em>because Zelda had to</em>. Losing her would be catastrophic, but she <em>cannot—</em>she <em>will not—</em>break down.</p><p>Yet Zelda is more soul than divinity, and the grief is so unbearable, she drops to her knees, clawing at her face as she tries and tries to stop crying. In her mind, the very same thought races, <em>I thought you were dead</em>, and the anguish, the damage, the pain of their war, and for it all to end with Zelda losing the one person she cares the most about.</p><p>Immediately, although it hurts to do so, Impa meets Zelda on the floor. She holds her face in her hands, and the poor princess is so distraught; cheeks flushed, eyes beginning to swell, this hideous, beautiful relief slowly beginning to peer through. Zelda can’t breathe, she’s crying so hard, and Impa cannot believe this is all for her. She’s almost <em>sorry</em> that anybody would feel this enraged about her potential death, because no one<em>—</em><em>no one—</em>has cared for her as much as Zelda has.</p><p>The comfort she requires, in the end, is very simple.</p><p>Affectionately, Impa moves wet strands of Zelda’s hair from out of the princess’s face; she caresses the princess’s cheek, carefully wiping her tears, patient with her as she allows Zelda to finally express herself freely. Because this isn’t <em>just </em>about Impa. It’s about her mother, her father, Terrako, all the Champions and Link who fought so willingly beside her, and it’s about the fact they won. That they somehow managed to survive, and</p><p><em>     she’s here</em>.</p><p>Eventually Zelda manages to breathe. Impa has calmed her down, her heart is beginning to relax, and, exhausted, Zelda wraps her arms around Impa’s neck and kisses her with a passion Impa has never received before. She tastes of salt from her tears, the ash of their burnt war, and she’s something gloriously tremendous. Impa inhales sharply, welcoming Zelda’s intimacy; unlike before, they have all the time in the world for this.</p><p>For the first time, Zelda allows herself to lose control, and it’s more than exhilarating.</p><p>In her enthusiasm and staggering joy, Zelda knocks Impa back slightly, forcing the sheikah to place her hand behind her, stopping herself from falling completely. Zelda doesn’t seem to notice, sighing in euphoria as she pulls at Impa, her kisses hard, warm and inviting and they kiss for minutes, probably hours, neither know; but when Zelda eventually stops, her lips are sore, jaw aching, and her tired face lights up in a smile.</p><p>‘Thank you<em>—</em>’ she manages to find her voice, and Zelda is healing, ‘<em>—</em>for coming back to me.’</p><p>Honestly, Impa is speechless after what just occurred. She manages to speak, though, but it’s more of a whisper, ‘If I’d’ve known you would’ve welcomed me back like <em>that—</em>’ she smiles too, a little nervous, ‘<em>—</em>I probably would have returned sooner.’</p><p>Of course, <em>of course</em> Impa needs to ease the mood with a dumb joke. Although, right now, Zelda doesn’t care. Her ears are ringing, head pounding, and her heart gleeful.  Suddenly, it dawns on her, that everything is going to be okay from now on.</p><p>Impa moves in to kiss the corner of Zelda’s mouth.</p><p>‘I nearly fooled you for a second there, didn’t I?’</p><p>Zelda looks at her, the happiest woman alive.</p><p>‘<em>Almost</em>, my love. Almost.’</p><p> </p>
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